24. There was a code gladiator were expected to follow – and killing an opponent wasn’t included in this
It was in the ludus that gladiators learned the ‘rules’ they were supposed to follow in the arena. Above all, they were taught that they were entertainers first and killers second. According to the sources from the time, the key code of the gladiator was to defeat one’s opponent without inflicting a mortal blow. The owners of the gladiators, or the main official overseeing a fight – that is, the editor – would ensure the men fought bravely and with skill. However, he might step in if it looked like a gladiator could be seriously injured or even die.